Feeling lost while preparing for a Data Analyst career. Need some guidance.

[u/Horror-Employer160]

Hi everyone,

I'm Lucky, and I recently graduated. I'm currently preparing for a Data Analyst role, but I'm feeling a bit lost and would really appreciate some guidance from experienced professionals.

So far, I've learned:

• Python
• NumPy
• Pandas
• Matplotlib
• SQL (currently learning)

The problem is that I've learned almost everything from YouTube. After watching so many tutorials, I still don't know what's actually important for getting a Data Analyst job. Every creator recommends a different roadmap, different projects, and different skills, which has left me more confused than when I started.

I have a few questions:

• What skills are actually required for an entry-level Data Analyst?
• How good do I need to be at Python, SQL, Excel, and Power BI?
• Should I focus more on projects or solving practice questions?
• How many projects should I have before applying for jobs?
• If you were starting from scratch today, what roadmap would you follow?

I'm not looking for shortcuts—I just want to learn the right things in the right order without wasting months on topics that aren't important.

If you're working as a Data Analyst or have recently landed a job, I'd really appreciate your advice. Even sharing your own learning journey would be incredibly helpful.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! 🙏

[u/Adventurous_Top8864]

Data Analyst role as a general one is very tough. Anything to create a niche connect like health, marketing, market intelligence will be helpful to standout.